Spring Island, LLC - Maine Green Design & Build Firm

New Sustainable Projects

• Pownal Residence

  House Transformed

  

  The land and the barn on this 47 acre site in Pownal, Maine, create a stunning rural landscape that enchanted our clients when they found this property. Unfortunately, the existing house (a 15-year old split-level ranch) was not attractive, from several standpoints: aesthetic, function, and performance. The clients, however, did not want to demolish a recently-built structure, and instead, challenged us to find a way to update the existing house, highlighting the natural beauty of the site. The goal was to provide living space for themselves as well as live-in family members and frequent guests - all with a focus on green design and construction, healthy materials, and universal access.

  The new home design that emerged has the primary focus of connecting the house and its new inhabitants with the land by selectively emphasizing critical views to the woods and fields beyond. With only a slight increase to the footprint, a new floor at ground level was established and the existing façade was retrofitted to allow for a new, super-insulated building envelope. Large segments of the interior were preserved, while completely reworking the internal circulation pathways and adding natural day lighting to all rooms. A true “cook’s kitchen” forms the central hub of a new great room area. Multiple function spaces are designed into many areas of the home, for superior flexibility. All of these changes created an opportunity to invoke a dramatic shift in the internal and external appearance of the home. This new sustainable residence now gracefully resonates with the rural landscape, the hand-crafted barn, and the historic community to complete a renewed sense of place.

  Green Features:

  • Passive solar
  • Natural daylighting
  • Natural cooling and ventilation
  • HRV Heat Recover exchange
  • Solar Thermal hot water system
  • 3KW Photovoltaic system
  • Super insulated building envelope
  • Energy Star
  • Radiant slab floor heating
  • Recycled Materials/ Recycled Home
  • Permaculture based edible gardens
  • Working farm
  • No-VOC paints
  • Locally harvested wood
  • Radon mitigation system

• Casco Bay Island Residence

  Oceanfront, Fossil Fuel Free

  

  This dramatic site has sweeping ocean views to the southeast with the horizon dotted by distant outer islands. One central organizing concept was to merge the southeast facing view of the ocean with passive and active solar opportunities. The result is a home that is heated almost exclusively by the sun. Significant energy calculations and computer modeling studies allowed us to create a space that uses no gas or oil.

  Approaching this house, one moves past a large anchoring stone and over a long entry walk creating a dock-like approach to the building as the house emerges out of the ground, achieving a two-story volume facing the water. The master suite with office and meditation space occupies the second floor. On the ground floor, a private guest room is separated from the main living area by an elongated and transparent mudroom that provides selected views into the windblown woods beyond. A retractable sun shade keeps the house from overheating in the summer months. Tucked into the corner, a small screened sitting porch captures the ocean breeze and views to distant islands beyond.

  Green Features:

  This island house is fossil fuel free!

  • Passive solar
  • Natural daylighting
  • PV solar electric array
  • Solar thermal array
  • Advanced framing strategies
  • Energy star appliances
  • HRV fresh air system
  • Radiant floor heat

• Bradbury Mountain Residence

  Reclaimed Site, Barrier Free Design

  

  Old stone walls wrap around this site which is surrounded on three sides by a state park. The remains of an old farm house cellar existed on site and the area had been used as a farm trash dump for over a century. After careful cleanup, our concept was to improve on the imprints of the past. A beautiful outcropping of granite was exposed and we designed this simple structure to fit gracefully along the stone. A small natural clearing in the woods provides wonderful privacy and allows soft light to filter through a stand of birch trees.

  Our clients wanted the ability to retire in this house, so it is composed of an open, barrier-free living area and a completely accessible floor plan. Simplification of the structural system allowed us to provide a very affordable green home.

  Green Features:

  • Passive solar
  • Natural daylighting
  • Universal design
  • Super-Insulation
  • Advanced framing strategies
  • Energy star appliances
  • Radiant floor heat
  • Filtered fresh air
  • Non toxic paints
  • Durable exterior materials

• Trout Brook Residence

  Leed-H Registered, Passive Solar

  

  The site for this project was an under appreciated lot within the city of South Portland that had been passed over for years because of its proximity to a freshwater marsh. Our concept was two-fold: protect the sensitive ecosystem by building on the upland portion of the lot, and create a home that fully engages the landscape, celebrating its wildness and diversity within the city.

  The house was erected on site with a minimal impact to the native vegetation, allowing the building to appear floating within the sea of grasses and low shrubs. The gently sloping site provides excellent solar exposure and transparency. Local materials were reconfigured in new ways to allow for a modern home that fits seamlessly into a traditional city neighborhood.

  Inside the building, a completely open layout with high ceilings increases the dispersal of daylight. When coupled with the expansive views over and into the surrounding landscape, these features vastly enhance the sense of spaciousness in this 1170 square foot house.

  Green Features:

  • Passive solar
  • LEED registered
  • Living roof
  • Natural daylighting
  • Super-insulation
  • Advanced framing strategies
  • Energy star appliances
  • Radiant floor heat
  • Filtered fresh air
  • Ecopavers
  • Land conservation donation
  • Non toxic paints
  • FSC materials

• House on the Ledge

  

  This project is situated on a steeply sloping four acre forested parcel with private views to the Harraseeket River and a tidal cove. A large spine of granite ledge runs down the center of the land, and the existing house (designed by Curt in 2003) is placed below a large exposed rock face. This creates an exciting dialogue between the structure and site. This project is a major addition to this contemporary green home and is intended to increase living space for a growing family.

  The combination of tall trees and a northwesterly facing slope challenged us to carefully consider natural sunlight and create a strategic daylighting plan for the home. The addition is stacked vertically to generate height for solar access, with openings at selected locations for important views and light.

  The formal concept was to create an addition linked by a connector space, yielding three main volumes that would add much needed interior space and function while also forming a new dynamic exterior. The first floor has a completely open floor plan with clear spans created by a steel rigid frame that allows glass to wrap around all sides. Major landscaping and stonework using stone harvested from the site allows the addition to appear anchored to the ledge.

  The original structure feels like a tree-house, floating next to the ledge. This new addition celebrates the ledge itself, and connects the house and occupants to the ground emphasizing a new sense of place.

  Green Features:

  • Passive solar
  • Super-insulation
  • Advanced framing strategies
  • Energy star appliances
  • Recycled windows, countertops, and cabinets
  • Radiant floor heat
  • Filtered fresh air
  • Stone harvested on site
  • Wood heat recirculation system
  • Non toxic paints
  • FSC materials